Essie Mae Kirkland

March 29, 2023

Essie Mae Kirkland, 92, of Pensacola passed away on Saturday, March 25, 2023.

She was born in Jay, Florida to Ira and Mattie Carnley and was raised on a farm where they grew vegetables and cotton which she mentioned picking cotton and many times getting pricked by the pods that held the cotton fibers. Essie loved running through her neighborhood and visiting friends and neighbors as well as walking to church. She and her younger sister Corine liked to play in and around a nearby pond, climb trees, lay back on the ground and listen to the birds sing. Essie’s father passed when she was 6 years old and her mother followed shortly after. She and her younger sister stayed on the farm and were watched over by an older brother until she left home for Pensacola at the age of 16, in 1947. Essie began working at Dainty Dell’s Restaurant that she truly enjoyed as she loved the comradery with the patrons and the owners. She soon married and started her family in 1948. She began working at *Chemstrand/Monsanto/Solutia (Eastman Chemical) which they often called “The Plant” in 1953 or 1954 as a Drawtwist Operator (twisting the manufactured yarn for Astro turf and Automobile tires) on the D shift and worked rotating shifts that changed every 7 days and raised 6 children during her 31 year tenure in which she retired in 1985 or 1986. After Retiring, she continued to nurture her family and help neighbors and friends while she maintained her home and yard that sits on an acre of land (she tilled, planted and maintained her own big garden). Essie was a member of Cora Baptist Church in Jay, Florida.

Essie is preceded in death by her parents, four brothers and three sisters as well as her son, Johnny L. Grubbs; grandson, Ray Junior Grubbs II; ex-spouse of 9-10 years, Hubert R. Grubbs and ex-spouse of 21 years, Alfred E. Edgar.

She is survived by her son, Ray Grubbs (Betty); daughters, Rita Hall (Jerry), Mary Sue Watson (Jimmie), JoAnn Hope (Willie), Donna Gist (Jim); 19 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and 33 great-great grandchildren.

A visitation will be held at Pensacola Memorial Gardens Funeral Home on Thursday, March 30, 2023 from 1pm until the service begins at 2pm led by Pastor Gene Hudson. Pallbearers will be Fred Bergeron, Ray Grubbs, Keith Grubbs, Clayton Grubbs, Logan Vaughn and Willie Mack. Honorary Pallbearers are Jim Gist, Jerry Hall and Jimmie Watson.

In lieu of flowers, for those who wish, donations may be made to Ethan Bergeron Foundation (great-grandson) at Servis First Bank 219 E. Garden St. #100 Pensacola, Fl 32502 (850)-266-9100 or 4980 N. 12th Ave. Pensacola, Fl 32504 (850)-266-9160

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Obituaries